10 Best Community Episodes

Community likely introduced a lot of viewers to the concept of the “bottle episode” - an episode set entirely in one location, with minimal cast and therefore minimal production costs. In “Cooperative Calligraphy”, the study group “do a bottle episode” when Annie’s pen goes missing and an inquisition begins.

What could be an overly knowing insider episode actually uses the format to great effect. Accusations fly, and the minor premise - a missing, potentially stolen pen - is blown up into something grandiose as the seeds of mistrust are sewn and the paranoia is heightened.

The strength of the bottle episode is that the characters can bounce off each other every which way in the confined environment, and the way each member of the group attempts to push their distinct agenda shows how well crafted these characters are at this point.

It’s an episode with a decent bit of emotional heft, capped with a funny, unexpected ending, and Dean Pelton’s constant tannoy reminders that the group are missing a puppy parade for the sake of their ongoing argument.